Distracted walkers, runners may be fined

January 25, 2011 12:00:00 AM PST

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. --

Pedestrians distracted by electronic devices may soon face fines in New York.A New York lawmaker has proposed legislation that would ban pedestrians from using gadgets like mobile phones and iPods, saying distracted pedestrians are dangerous.

An Arkansas state senator also proposed a similar ban but backed out, saying he understood his proposal didn't have a chance of passing but felt he was successful in drawing more attention to the issue.